1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a digital camera, and more specifically to a digital camera capable of communication function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of digital cameras capable of communication function have been proposed in this field of art. For example, it is proposed that digital image data taken by the digital camera is sent to an outside server.
One reason of sending the digital image data to the outside server is caused by a limited capacity of the digital camera to store the digital image data. In other words, the digital camera would become free from the limitation to the image storing capacity if the taken image data is sent to the server for making it possible for the digital camera to delete the sent image data for securing a room for newly taken image data. Another reason of sending the digital image data to the outside is to share the taken images among a closed group or in open public for fun.
Also in the field of mobile phones capable of photo taking function, which is considered to be a type of digital camera capable of communication function, the similar sending or sharing of digital images by means of a picture archiving and communication system on Internet becomes popular as well as the direct sending of the digital image data between the mobile phones.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,259 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2002-199120 each disclose digital camera capable of communication function.
In terms of the sharing of the digital image data, on the other hand, various proposals have been also made from the side of picture archiving and communication systems on Internet, which provide services for accepting uploaded digital image data from the creator thereof or allowing anyone to download digital images of others open to the public.
In this field of art, however, proposals relating to the sending of the digital image data have not been fully enjoyed as a function of digital cameras easy to use.